Think again. In successive games last week Gretzky and Messierof the New York Rangers covered themselves in glory, and in sodoing covered the Florida Panthers with a white sheet,eliminating last season's Eastern Conference champions fourgames to one in their first-round playoff series. There wasGretzky, celebrating his 58th career hat trick in Game 4 in NewYork, followed two nights later by Messier's two-goal,three-point eruption in Florida. Note to both 36-year-old formerEdmonton Oilers: Forgive us for suspecting that you were nolonger capable of such heroics.

We stand corrected and a bit confused. Is this 1997 or 1987? Wasthat Madison Square Garden Gretzky captivated in Game 4, scoringthree times in a span of 6:23 in a 3-2 Rangers win, or was itNorthlands Coliseum?

Wherever he has traveled in his illustrious 18-year NHL career,Gretzky has amazed his teammates and coaches not just with hisability to amass points but also with his ability to rememberthe plays that produced them. His recall is also excellent whenit comes to slights, which he harbors and uses as fuel. In thisway, says Rangers winger Luc Robitaille, Gretzky is like MichaelJordan. "Say something [critical] about him, he scores 50points. He's telling you to shut up." Whatever Gretzky wastelling us with his play in this series, his voice went from awhisper to a scream.

Pilloried, along with Messier, in the New York press for beingall but invisible in a 3-0 Game 1 loss to the Panthers, Gretzkyscored the winning goal in Game 2. In silencing some critics,however, he gave others reason to mock. Game 2 was telecast onFox, whose much-despised FoxTrax puck--which contains a computerchip that highlights the puck on television--must reach 65 mphbefore it will change from blue to red on your TV screen.Gretzky's change-up goal failed to achieve that velocity, andfor several days his teammates teased him for scoring a "bluegoal."

Because of a scheduling conflict at Madison Square Garden, Games3 and 4 had to be played on successive nights, which manyobservers saw as a looming disaster for the home team. "Twogames in two nights? We had no chance," says New York generalmanager Neil Smith, acidly parroting the pre-Game 3 story line."It was the old, decrepit, Geritol-swilling Rangers against thevirile, young, fleet-footed Panthers."

There seemed to be good reason for the skepticism. All seasonNew York had been maddeningly inconsistent. The Rangers finishedfifth in the conference (38-34-10), and with their lack of depthand youth, they were not regarded as serious threats to win theStanley Cup. Their disciplined, physical play in the firstround, however, has prompted a hasty reassessment. In MikeRichter they have a goaltender capable of confounding anyone. InBrian Leetch they have the finest offensive defenseman in thegame. And in Gretzky and Messier they have two forces of naturewho have found their A games at the right time.

They're still plenty old. But so far this postseason, thathasn't mattered. Before New York eked out a victory in Game3--Robitaille tied it with 18.9 seconds left on assists fromGretzky and Messier, and Esa Tikkanen won it with a blur of aslap shot in overtime--the conventional wisdom was that theRangers had to win that one, because youth and fresh legs weresure to prevail less than 24 hours later in Game 4.

Oddly, one of the oldest players in the Garden last Wednesdaywas the one with the most hop. While younger men wilted, "Waynewas asking for more ice time," said New York coach ColinCampbell. The Rangers put in 23 flat, uninspired minutes beforeGretzky started playing as if he had stepped out of a timemachine.

None of his three goals would have been a "blue goal," and eachwas prettier than the last. For goal number 1, he one-timed afeed from Leetch into a yawning net. After his second score, arocket into the right corner of the top shelf, Gretzky skated tothe bench, where Messier said something to him that made himsmile. "Keep sniffing," advised the captain.

Thus was a tradition revived. In their salad days as Oilers,whenever Gretzky had two goals in a game Messier would tell himto "keep sniffing" for the hat trick. That's exactly whatGretzky did, and his third goal evoked the Great One at hisgreatest. Outmanned after carrying the puck into the right sideof the Florida zone, he slammed on the brakes, then circled tovirtually the same spot. He faked a shot--by now he was toyingwith Panthers goalie John Vanbiesbrouck--then edged slightly tohis left, allowing a screen to form between him and thegoaltender. Only then did Gretzky rip a shot that caromed offthe left post and in. As Florida coach Doug McLean spat out hisgum in disgust, the Great One danced a brief, un-Gretzky-likejig to celebrate his first hat trick in four years.

Inspired by his best friend's heroism, Messier nearly duplicatedthe feat two nights later. When Messier arrived at Miami Arenabefore Game 5, he wore the arresting mask his teammates refer toas The Look. "He had it early," said Gretzky, who had shared acab with Tikkanen and Messier after the Rangers' Friday-morningskate. "Tikk and I were trying to have a conversation, but Markwasn't participating."

On this day, The Look meant "Look out, Carkner." After drillingPanthers' defenseman Terry Carkner with a hard check early inhis first shift, Messier scored on a breakaway 39 seconds intothe game. He scored again with 16 seconds left in the secondperiod and set up Tikkanen's series winner in overtime.

The 32-year-old Tikkanen, a gap-toothed, gimpy-kneed Finn with abad body and a barely decipherable polylingual dialect, isanother former Oiler. His second game-winning goal of the seriesgave Edmonton East about a week to recuperate before startingthe conference semis.

Not that the Rangers need the rest.

COLOR PHOTO: BRUCE BENNETT/BENNETT STUDIOS Gretzky was pumped in Game 4 when he tallied a hat trick, his first in nearly four seasons. [Wayne Gretzky in game]COLOR PHOTO: ROBERT BECK Messier had The Look in Game 5, scoring twice and setting up the game-winning goal in overtime. [Mark Messier in game]